I'm always amused at your special ability to say absolutely nothing valuable, and make it sound like something profoundly intellectual.

Holding the position that government follow the constitution is considered "ideological extemism" (sic), whereas breaking and bending the rules where its convenient is considered sound and moderate. Yep, sounds like Kotter...

What can anyone expect from a guy who went from Clinton, to Bush II, to Obama? Anyone who has been around this forum for any amount of time knows that you are strictly motivated by being in the popular group (whatever that is at the moment) so you can satisfy your deeply ingrained psychological need for being accepted.

Also, to directly answer the silly quote above - an ideology is a collection of values that are connected together by reasoning. It's cute how you thought you were saying something profound, though.

If you can't understand what I'm saying, it's because of your ignorance. "Following the Constitution" is not an ideology. If you would take the time to read the actual document closely, and in conjunction with the Federalist Papers and other primary documents of the day, you might (although I doubt it) begin to understand how ridiculous folks like Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell, you, and BEP truly are. The twisting and contortionist "reasoning" that you need to do to arrive at the intellectually vacant position of "original intent" and other strict constructionist interpretation of the founder's work is a valant, if entirely bankrupt "ideology." It's actually kinda pathetic the intellect of folks who subscribe to it.

The only thing MORE amusing, though, is your lame-assed attempt at pop psychology, in which you project what is clearly a major issue for you--poor self-esteem and sense of inadequacy. It's alright, anyone who has been around this forum for any amount of time knows that you are strictly motivated to conceal your ignorance and lack of formal education. I realize the folks at "Pheonix University" took you money, and sent you a diploma-milled "certificate"--but that don't count for much in the real world. Nice try though, "Dr. Phil." Heh.

Ideology: A comprehensive and coherent set of basic beliefs about political, economic, social and cultural affairs that is held in common by a group of people within a society. Such interrelated ideas and teachings purport both to explain how political, economic, social and cultural institutions really do work and also to prescribe how such institutions ought ideally to operate. Conservative ideologues seek to demonstrate a close correspondence between "the way things are" and "the way things ought to be," thus legitimizing the existing order in the eyes of those who can be convinced to believe in the ideology. Liberal ideologies, on the other hand, set unconventional, higher, or even utopian standards with regard to what would constitute a legitimate and supportable social-economic-political system and then demonstrate in detail that the existing order does not even come close to meeting these standards, thereby de-legitimizing the existing system and helping mobilize believers in the ideology for concerted action to reform or overthrow the existing order. (In addition to their descriptive and prescriptive functions about existing and ideal social orders, ideologies may also include more specialized doctrines regarding the most suitable political strategies and tactics to be pursued by believers in their efforts to shore up or undermine the existing order.)

One useful way of categorizing ideologies from a political point of view focusses on differences in the ideologies' prescriptions for how much the government ought to be involved in directing or regulating economic, social and cultural affairs and how much individuals or voluntary organizations ought to be left alone to make their own (widely varied) decisions in these spheres of life. In this course, for example, we frequently employ a two-dimensional classification of ideologies proposed by Maddox and Lilie that is based on assessing people's preferences for government regulation versus non-regulation in:

Economic decisions

Non-economic or life-style decisions.

It should be noted that the term "ideology" often has a somewhat derogatory flavor, especially in Anglo-American societies, because it often carries the implication that "ideological" thought is unduly biased, dogmatic and distorted, an obstacle rather than an aid in perceiving how the world "really" works. ("You, sir, are an ideologue. I, on the other hand, am a pragmatic man of reason who sees things the way they really are.")

You TJ, are Exhibit A for an ignorant and self-delusional ideologue if ever there were one. But, by all means....keep grasping at straws, little fella. Meanwhile, leave the critical thinking to the adults in the room.

__________________
Alex Smith will be better than Geno or Cassel, Alex Smith will be better than Geno or Cassel, Alex Smith will be better than Geno or Cassel, Alex Smith will be better than Geno or Cassel...